PHOTO: The team from Elephant in the Room were out and about in their sensational socks: Emma Horan, MJ Wallace, Ashlee McDowell, Brooke Skinner, Donna Horan
Every year on 21 March, people all over the world celebrate World Down Syndrome Day for those born with one extra 21st chromosome.
The team from Elephant in the Room is getting the conversation started by wearing funky socks.
Around 10 percent of their clients are diagnosed with Down Syndrome.
Although rural areas have fewer specialists than metropolitan areas, people with Down Syndrome in Coonamble often find support through their families.
Elephant in the Room uses a family-centred model, where minimal staff is involved in providing early care so as not to overwhelm the young family.
Getting the right care early on is vital to ensuring that people with Down Syndrome are able to express their needs and follow their passions, Director and Speech Pathologist Brooke Skinner said.
“Once we receive a referral from a child with Down Syndrome we can be involved quite quickly.
“Often it starts with difficulties feeding. We can help with speech pathology but we also have an external childhood nurse who was a lactation consultant,” Mrs Skinner said.
Children with Down Syndrome are often born with a lower muscle tone which means that tummy time and having toys they stretch their arms towards is especially important for them.
“Where a neurotypical child might naturally develop those skills, we have to work a little bit harder,” Mrs Skinner said.
Another example is speech. Children with Down Syndrome are quick visual learners. Therefore, introducing them to Key Word signing at around six months old helps diagnosed children develop a communication path early on.
Key Word sign language is separate from signing for people with hearing disabilities, although there are a few similarities.
Early intervention is key to ensuring children with Down Syndrome develop their speech and are able to express their needs.
“You’re limiting their communication and functional skills but you also start to see some challenging behaviour because they want to communicate a message but can’t get it across,” Mrs Skinner said.
With the right support, children with Down Syndrome can participate with neurotypical children in the school system.
The Coonamble Public School has a support unit and a learning support officer to help children with disabilities.
“In Kindergarten, we generally try mainstream first and then see what their needs are from there.”
When children with Down Syndrome leave school, it can be difficult for them to find a job that can accommodate their needs.
Nonetheless, many adults with Down Syndrome have found employment.
“Many have employment at a disability-specific employment agency which is a great initiative for clients that require particular support,” Mrs Skinner said.
“Setting up a micro business is also important because they have more flexibility if working full time causes too much fatigue or sensory overload.
“We’re pushing the message that people with Down Syndrome can find meaningful and purposeful employment with what they actually want to do with their life, whether landscaping, art, or whatever else.”
Although people with Down Syndrome may look and behave differently than neurotypical people, it is important to treat them with the same respect and dignity as anyone else.
“A person with a disability is a person first. Some people may want to wrap them up in a cotton ball but they have the right to take risks and live their best life,” Mrs Skinner said.